Game Audio Companies: The Difference Between “Sirs” and “Mates”
Game audio companies are built not only on sound, but on relationships and trust. This article expands on an idea originally shared on LinkedIn:
Original Post Here.
What do I wish I had learned ten years earlier? That the difference between “sirs” and “mates” can completely change how you navigate game audio companies and the industry as a whole.
This has nothing to do with nationality or culture. It has everything to do with personality, communication style, and how people expect to be treated.
Why Relationships Matter Inside Game Audio Companies
Independently of genre or project scale, game audio companies operate through constant collaboration.
Audio work touches design, engineering, production, and creative direction.
That means opportunities often come from small human details:
- How conversations flow
- How trust is built
- How people feel working with you
Technical skill matters, but relationships determine long-term success.
Game Audio Companies Have “Sirs” and “Mates”
Most people operate in two broad interpersonal modes.
Some are “sirs”:
- Formal
- Pragmatic
- Structured
- Reserved until trust is earned
Others are “mates”:
- Warm
- Informal
- Relationship-driven
- Open through friendliness and ease
Inside game audio companies, misreading this can quietly cost great opportunities.
Why Mixing Them Up Creates Friction
The same recipe never works for both types.
If you treat a “sir” like a “mate,” you may come across as careless.
If you treat a “mate” like a “sir,” you may come across as distant.
Game audio companies are full of layered personalities, and adapting is crucial.
Listening Is the Core Skill in Game Audio Companies
The lesson underneath this idea is simple:
Become a better listener so you can lead better conversations.
Humans are complicated, guarded, and masked, but still decipherable.
In the end, we were all children once, and we all walk toward the same old age.
Recognizing shared spots in life makes building bridges much easier.
How This Impacts Opportunity in Game Audio Companies
This lesson helped me enormously in 2025.
Conversations with important people became smoother simply because I understood how they preferred to be treated.
Opportunities in game audio companies are often built on these small details, not on loud networking tactics.
If you’re interested in more thoughts on game development collaboration and audio production, you can explore our writing here:
Read our blog.
Checklist: Navigating Relationships in Game Audio Companies
- Pay attention to formality and tone in conversations
- Adapt your communication style without losing authenticity
- Listen more than you perform
- Respect that different people expect different rhythms
- Remember that trust is built through small interactions
Common Mistakes Teams Make
- Assuming everyone communicates the same way
- Forcing a single social style in professional settings
- Ignoring subtle cues about personality and comfort
- Focusing on status instead of understanding people
Game audio companies thrive when collaboration feels natural, respectful, and adaptive.
You can learn more about our work here:
Know more about our work.
For broader industry guidance, the IGDA provides resources here:
International Game Developers Association.
Final Thought
Game audio companies are made of people before they are made of projects.
Learning when someone is a “sir” or a “mate” is not a trick. It is a form of respect, adaptation, and human awareness.
If you’d like to talk about your project, feel free to reach out. We’d love to hear what you’re building.
